


You Don't Deserve Them

by VirusZeref



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Beating, Big Brother Dick Grayson, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Bruce Wayne Being an Asshole, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Dick Grayson attempts to be a better big brother, Dick Grayson is a Talon, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Damian Wayne, Protective Dick Grayson, Protective Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 07:47:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15792171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VirusZeref/pseuds/VirusZeref
Summary: I was a fool for believing in youWe had a dealHe has always been the black sheep of the family. And that wasn’t going to change anytime soon. Jason was a fool like Bruce had said.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey my dudes!
> 
> This is a DC fic ^ ^
> 
> And it's basically me taking canon and throwing it in the trash. I am disappointed on how Bruce treated Jason during the latest Red Hood issue. SO I decided to write the aftermath. 
> 
> I can admit Dick isn't a good brother in canon to Jason (seriously look it up) and in this fic he is gonna fix that. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The punches oddly enough didn’t hurt Jason at all. He has dealt with worse, for fuck sake he has died by the hands of the Joker. Being beaten with a simple tool, a crowbar of all this. Even that didn’t hurt compared to Bruce’s words to him. 

 

_ I was a fool for believing in you _

 

_ We had a deal  _

 

He has always been the black sheep of the family. And that wasn’t going to change anytime soon. Jason was a fool like Bruce had said. To think he could have a decent relationship with Bruce, reasoning with this man was like reasoning with a brick wall.

 

There was another punch, another piece of his Hood broke and crumbled to the ground. Jason’s body ache, especially his face. He would have told Bruce about why he killed Penguin, the man was using drugs to hunt down children who are living on the streets. Putting the damn man in Arkham Asylum isn’t going to do anything, the Penguin would bide his time until something happened to get out and do the same thing again. Putting the meta villains in Arkham isn’t going to change their views on the world. All that is going to happen is that they will get normal criminals to do their dirty work. 

 

Jason coughed and spat out blood, “You never punched the Joker this hard Bruce, and you despite the damn clown. Or any criminal for that matter, am I that special?”

 

He only received a sharp backhand to the face, causing him to fall to the ground. Jason coughed again, his head spinning and black spot dancing across his vision.

 

“We had a  _ deal,  _ you can operate in Gotham, you can stay free if you didn’t kill anyone.”

 

Jason scoffed, “He was taking children from the streets and conducting experiments on them. The majority of them are dead, Bruce! Dead! And putting the Penguin being in Arkham is going to solve anything?!”

 

“We had a deal.”

 

“So I have been told, multiple times.”

 

He was going be hit again when an arrow struck the ground between him and Bruce. There was a beep before a hiss, the arrow letting out red smoke that practically covers him. Someone grabbed him and dragged him away. 

 

He turned slowly, seeing a familiar tattoo, “Roy?”

 

“I got ya, buddy, let's get you out of here.” 

 

Jason grunted and let himself be dragged by Roy. Eventually, his eyes closed and he fell into unconsciousness. 

 

___________________

 

Dick shut the Batcomputer down and straggled away from the chair. He felt sick to his stomach as he slowly climbed the stairs back to the manor. Bruce wouldn’t be home until 3 am, looking at the clock now, Dick had about 2 more hours to deal with what just happened. He nodded at Alfred briefly in the hallway and closed the door of his room. Bile rose in his throat and he swallowed. 

 

He didn’t know what to do at this point. Dick shivered and ran his hand through his hair, he knew that Jason and Bruce had a deal. And he thought that their relationship was getting better, hell his own relationship with Jason was much better than it was five years ago. Jason apologizes for trying to kill him to his face, and it was genuine. Dick was just happy he got his little brother back. 

 

He got a text from Roy telling him that something was happening at the borders of Gotham. He hit the call button almost immediately.

 

_ “Roy, what’s happening?” _

 

_ Dick heard Roy curse and heard something being thrown into a car seat. “Sorry, about that. Um...do you remember anything that happened in Gotham.” _

 

_ “No. I just got back from Bludhaven...Roy, what happened?” _

 

_ “Batman is going after Jason. I don’t know what Jason did, but from what I have heard from Olver. The Dark Knight is fucking pissed, Oliver said that he went stomping out of the Justice League meeting in a rage.”  _

 

_ “Oh shit. I’ll go and check out the cameras on the computer.” _

 

_ “Okay. I’m heading over there to get Jason out of here. Who knows what Batman is going to do.” _

 

Dick saw...he saw it with his own two eyes. Bruce beating Jason because Jason killed the Penguin. Jason had a point though, there was an investigation into missing children and there was evidence leading up to Penguin experimenting on children. Yes, Jason killed and to Bruce that was bad, but...there wasn’t a need to beat him up over it. Staring at the computer and watching his little brother take a beating. He wanted to scream, but he just texted Roy to cause a distraction. And quickly too.

 

The red smoke indicated that Roy had done it, and the redhead had briefly waved at the camera knowing that Dick was watching. He had switched the cameras to see Bruce’s reaction. The man only glared in the distance before stalking away.   

 

Dick felt sick.

 

He racked his brain to come up with an explanation about what happened. Surely Bruce was in a bad mental state and took it out on Jason? Dick shook his head, even if he did that wasn’t an excuse to use your own son as a fucking punching bag. Regardless of what he did. Dick sighed and rested his head on his door, Bruce always does this. Thinking that his way was the best way. He didn’t tell Dick that Jason had died, Dick had to find that out in the hands of the Joker. He was forced to not tell his own brothers that he had faked his death….

 

Fuck…

 

His hands curled into fists, Bruce has always been a ‘my way or the highway’ type of person. And that was born true in this incident. However, if Bruce thinks that Dick will choose his side over Jason because of his “no kill rule”, then Bruce doesn’t know Dick that well. He cares about Bruce, yes, but he cares more about his little brothers. 

 

Dick chuckled suddenly reminded of something he himself had said after he was fired by Batman, “Fuck Batman indeed.” He got up and went into Jason’s room and packed some clothes and grabbed the extra Hood that he kept under his bed. Dick doesn’t know if Jason knows that he knows but whatever. 

 

“Master Dick?”

 

Dick turned to face Alfred and gave him a sad smile, “Hey, Alfred.”

 

Alfred didn’t need to ask what he was doing, the old butler saw the beginning of the fight between Bruce and Jason. Alfred dropped the platter he was holding before walking away. The butler simply walked up to Dick and helped him pack Jason’s clothes. 

 

“Please take care of him, Master Dick. Tell him that I don’t blame him for whatever he did, I’ll have a talk with Master Bruce.”

 

Dick only scoffed, “Once Bruce is set on something, he’s not going to back down. I know from experience.”

 

“As have I. Let me go to the kitchen, I have some of Master Jason’s favorite foods. Are you going to tell Master Damian and Master Tim.” 

 

Dick froze, “I….I think I will. They need to know what happened if Bruce decides to tell them, his side of the story.” The last part was noted bitterly. 

 

Alfred nodded, “Of course, and so you will need this.” He handed Dick a USB drive, most likely containing the footage of the incident. Dick only smiled as the old butler left, leaving him with his thoughts. Jason was known to most as the angry Robin, the out of control Robin. Truth be told it was Dick, he was prone to anger and unlike what people thought his anger is destructive. He always feels guilty afterward but the damage has been done. Dick sighed and looked back at his relationship with Jason. It had been rocky from day one, Dick had been bitter he had been replaced by a brat, and he treated Jason not too kindly. Their relationship got a bit better but after Jason’s death and revelation, Dick had his head up Bruce’s ass.

 

(Yes, Dick can admit that now.) 

 

Dick was the reason that Jason was sent to jail in the first place. At the time he thought he had been doing the right time. But he can just be cruel as Bruce, he sees that now. 

 

He had been a shitty older brother to Jason. And he never apologized for it. He took a breath and grabbed the bag that held Jason’s stuff. Well, he’ll be that older brother that he thought he was. Dick wasn’t going to let Bruce’s moral ruling and huge ego stop him from trying to take care of Jason. He bid Alfred a final goodbye as he loaded his car, sliding into the driver’s seat and drove off.

 

Not looking back once. 

 

Dick pulled up the Bluetooth connection and connected to his phone, “Call Roy.”

 

A few moments later he heard a grunt, <Hello?>

 

“Hey, Roy. I got clothes and food for Jason, what hideout are you in?”

 

<Nah, I’m at Kori’s apartment in Central City. Jason is unconscious at the moment, I’ll send Kori out to you.>

 

Dick chuckled, “Thanks Roy, you’re the best.”

 

<So I have been told. Dick, I have to ask, why now? Why help Jason now?>

 

Dick was silent for a moment, his hands gripped the wheel tightly before he spoke, “I have been a shitty older brother to Jason, that’s a fact and I’m not going to deny it. I let Bruce’s holier-than-you judgment and my own high moral standards cloud my judgment when it came to Jason. I can’t say I was a good brother to Tim either, I did fire him has Robin as Bruce did to me….I know it not going to fix everything I did but for one...I want to be there for Jason, help him heal.”

 

There was silence on Roy’s end the line, then redhead spoke, <I agree your high moral standards have clouded your judgment. Jason isn’t going to stop killing horrible people that are a fact Dick that you will have to deal with. You kinda have a lot of shit of makeup for.”

 

“Yeah, I know.”

 

<But you’re trying, and that’s pretty much all that Jason could ask for.>  

 

Dick nodded, “Yeah, I see Kori on the street Roy. I’ll call you back.”

 

<See ya later my dude>

 

He hung up and pulled the car over into park. Dick saw Kori smile brightly and waved at him as she climbed into the passenger’s seat. Kori squeezed his shoulder, looking solemn.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hello, Dick... let's go see Jason.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Dick silently drove off, ignoring the well of guilt building inside him. He looked at Kori and smiled gently, also ignoring the fact her face grew concerned. Kori reached to touch the side of his face slowly before speaking,

 

“Dick, I didn’t know your eyes had gold flakes in them.”

 

He shrugged her off, “Don’t worry about it.”

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick felt tired, emotionally and physically drained and tired. Jason didn’t deserve this, Damian didn’t deserve this family. And for him? Dick chuckled darkly to himself as he slowly soothed Damian till the young boy fell asleep.
> 
>  
> 
> He was past saving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Here is another chapter under our belts!
> 
> Enjoy my loves!

Jason woke up to the sound of cursing in the kitchen. He was surrounded by multiple pillows and his entire body was sore. He tried moving his head, only to yelp at the sudden pain. Shit, how bad did Bruce beat him up? 

 

“Several broken ribs and couple of bruised rib bones, a concussion, probably a broken nose Kori and I didn’t have time to check. Your left hand is sprained and your pinkie finger is broken. Bruce didn’t leave any part of your unharmed, except your dick.”

 

Jason turned his head, seeing the one and only Dick leaning against the doorframe. Two things were going through Jason’s mind. One, Dick was here on his own accord, not to be the peacemaker between him and Bruce again. He could tell when Dick did something based on his own opinions, remembering how Dick was the one to put him in prison. Not Bruce like he wanted to think. Or how Dick sided with Bruce every single time Jason did something that wasn’t...up to Bruce’s moral coding. Two, Jason felt...relieved and also angry? Relieved that Dick helped him but angry at the fact that after all the times that Dick had chosen to side with Bruce, why is now the final straw?

 

Why now?

 

Dick had seemed to have read his mind, “I was a shitty big brother?”

 

Jason raised an eyebrow, “ _ Was _ a shitty big brother?”

 

“Touche Jason,” Dick said pushing himself off the doorframe and sat on the edge of the bed. “I am a shitty big brother...instead of putting your wellbeing before my own higher morals. I...fuck..” Dick put his head in his hands.

 

“I’m so sorry Jason...I really am sorry…”

 

Jason was silent. Fucking hell Dick…

 

“I don’t expect you to forgive me immediately, just let me be there for you...please.”

 

Jason was still silent before he chuckled, “We both are all kinds of fucked up. Courtesy of our environment and Bruce’s way of taking a crowbar to our self-esteem.”

 

“Jason-”

 

Jason grunted, “Shut up I’m not done yet. Yeah, I agree, you are a shitty brother to me but you are still my big brother. And as much I want to hate you, I really can’t. All I want is that...our relationship gets better. But that is if you are willing to put in the work...deal?”

 

Dick shook his head, “No deals. We have enough deals Little Wing lets just make it a mutual agreement.”

 

Jason nodded, “Good.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Jason smiled and tilted his head getting a good look at Dick. Most of the time when he sees Dick, they are normally in costume with the mask. Now look at Dick’s face...he looks different. Sure Dick faked his death and they only seen each other only once face to face but that was a year ago. Dick’s face was pale, but not pale enough to where it’s obvious. If Jason squinted, the corners of Dick’s eyes had dark grey veins spread across the upper part of his face. His blue eyes, that many people go crazy for had gold flakes sprinkled across the blue. If Dick blinked, his eyes changed from blue to golden. 

 

...What the fuck happened Grayson?

 

What happened to Dick that he looks like this?

 

“Have you told Tim and Damian yet?”

 

Dick shook his head, “Tim is busy with Kon in Metropolis, they are on a date so far as I know. But I have messaged him to met me at Kori’s apartment later today. Damian is busy with the Teen Titans, he won’t be on the eastern side of the States until next week.” He held up the USB drive containing the video footage.

 

“But it’s up to you if you want them to know or not. For me, I will not lie to Tim or Damian about what happened. I have lied enough for Bruce’s sake.”

 

Jason nodded, “You can show them, but you have to turn it off if it gets too much for them. I don’t care if they want to watch the entire thing. Turn it  _ off  _ understand?”

 

“Yeah. I’ll get you, your breakfast...and make sure Roy doesn’t burn down the kitchen.”

 

There was a scoff, “Kori tell Dick that I’m capable of making breakfast without burning anything! Oh, shit the bacon!” Jason rolled his eyes as Dick shook his head and left before Kori’s apartment burns down. Again.

 

They will never speak of September 18th.

 

Kori stepped in after Dick and closed the door smiling broadly at Jason. He couldn’t help but smile back at her. It’s not hard to smile when Kori enters the room, she can truly brighten up the room. Both literally and figuratively. She floats towards the bed and touched his shoulder gently, checking his wounds.

 

“Hey, Kori.”

 

She smiled and hummed, “Hello, Jason, how are your wounds?” Jason just shrugged little letting the female alien gently poke around his body. She muttered an apology when she accidentally pressed way too strongly on the left side of his body. Jason simply groaned out in pain and nodded. Kori watched Jason’s facial expression, his face was solemn and his gaze was looking at something afar. The alien bit her lip thinking about what she wanted to say. She understandably struggled with saying how she feels within a normal setting versus yelling it out in times of anger or passion. Kori was more prone to show she cared through her actions, it was her people’s way of life. Something that didn’t leave her since her time away from home.  

 

But what do you say to something who’s own father basically disowned him?

 

Beat him beyond what was necessary? Hell, even touching Jason out of anger was inexcusable. 

 

And threatening to hurt him again?

 

What do you say to something like that?  

 

“Kori? I can see the wheels turning in your head?”

 

She smiled at her friend, “Forgive me...I don’t know what to say in this situation.” Jason only shrugged and didn’t say a word for a long while, the two sitting in comfortable silence before Kori decided to speak again, “What Batman did was inexcusable even by my people’s standards. If we are angry, we go to a quiet place for meditation, not beat the child we raised to the point of death.” Her words were sharp and cold.

 

“Kori-”

 

She turned sharply towards him, her eyes glowing in anger. Not at Jason. Never at Jason, but towards the Bat who would dare to lay a hand on him. “No, it’s not your fault. Yes, you did shoot Penguin with a bullet, but is he dead? This is Gotham we are talking about, Batman would find a way to save them, even if they don’t deserve it. Did you deserve to be booted from Gotham? No. Did you deserve to be beaten?  _ No.  _ This situation isn’t your fault, and I know you want to blame yourself, you are going to blame yourself because you couldn’t live up to his expectations. But in my opinion, he can suck it.”

 

Jason cracked a smile, “You never cease to make me smile, thanks, Kori.” She smiled and pressed a kiss on his forehead. “You deserve better, you really do.” She patted his head and flew off, probably to pestering Dick and Roy in the kitchen. Jason slumped down into his pillows, looking out the window. If someone would have told him that Dick would do a 180 in personality about his stance on Bruce’s behaviour,  and he wouldn’t have to worry about being seen as the bad guy last year. He would have probably broken the poor lad’s kneecaps and continued on his day. He wouldn’t have believed it, despite everything, despite Dick dying and going undercover at Bruce’s command without telling his brothers that he was alive. Despite being fired as Robin. 

 

Despite it all, Dick was still loyal to Bruce.

 

But even Jason could see that something had changed between them. Bruce was constantly looking at Dick like he would snap, a look that he normally gave to Jason when he started coming back to the Manor. If Dick wasn’t busy with his own problems in Bluehaven, Bruce had constantly put him on watch at the Bat-monitor.

 

What was going on?   
  


Tim and Dick had mentioned that Bruce had a run in with the Court of Owls, the fantasy-like underground group of Gotham’s elites that watched over the city, sending out their talons to do their dirty work. With his curiosity, Jason had researched more into it finding out that Dick’s grandfather was a Talon and that he himself was meant to be a Talon. 

 

Honestly how ironic. If Bruce never adopted Dick, then he would be one of the villians that the man would have fought today. As for himself...Jason didn’t really know. What would his life be like without Bruce adopting him? Then again, the whole reason for Bruce adopting him in the first place was a little…

 

On the nose to say the least.

 

Jason was told by Bruce that he wanted a better life for him. Yet, dawning on the Robin costume and eventually getting killed was his price to pay. What hurts the most was that Bruce used his death, something that wasn’t even his fault as a horror story. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that Bruce would do it, as a warning, so that Damian would not be compelled to go back to his own ways. 

 

Like the kid needed a reason to do so. Jason has personally dealt with Talia and while Bruce has his own problems, he would choose Bruce every time. Besides, Damian was loyal, not to his Father but to Dick so there was a chance that he would believe what Dick had to say. 

 

Jason sighed and leaned back into his pillow, closing his eyes. His body hurt and his heart hurt. He wished he was just as heartless as he made himself out to be in his Red Hood persona. The harden Robin, the black sheep of the family that uses guns to kill criminals. The stain on Bruce’s namesake. If someone had to guess Jason’s fatal flaw, it was that he was too compassionate, even to those that have hurt him time and time again. If Bruce needed help, regardless of how he felt, Jason would come running. 

 

“To tell you the truth, we all would Jaybird.”

 

Jason opened one eye before snorting, his head turning to see Dick standing in the doorway. He probably had flour in his hair but Jason was too tired and in too much pain to check again. Even rolling his eyes hurt. 

 

Damn. 

 

He said nothing when Dick sat on the edge of his bed, fiddling with his smartphone before showing it to Jason. His suspicions were true, Bruce had called Dick multiple times, the number of missed calls notifications filled up all of Dick’s lock screen. Jason snorted and looked up at his counterpart who grinned in response. 

 

“I plan to make him squirm a little, consider it...payback for making me disband the Titans.”

 

Jason raised an eyebrow, “He disbanded the Titans, and I was never told? Rude.” Dick shrugged in response, his body hunched over and his expression on his face turned sour. 

 

“Bruce’s excuse as to why he needed to was bullshit. We were doing perfectly fine together, but it doesn’t matter anyway. Not anymore.” Jason frowned, at that. Call him cynical but Dick was still following Bruce’s orders to an extent, but he couldn’t really blame him. They all did, without fail even when they all desperately wanted to. It was stupid to consider that he was even out of Bruce’s grasp cause he will still be here, lingering. Dick patted his cheek before smiling, 

 

“Get some rest.”

 

“....What happened to you, Dick?”

 

Dick was oddly silent before smiling sadly, “What didn’t happen.”

 

+++

 

Dick closed Jason’s door and threw himself on the couch. Roy and Kori were out of the apartment for a while, they said something about getting groceries. He quickly whipped out his phone and texted Kori that they needed more painkillers before setting it on the table next to him and rested his eyes. But that only lasted for a moment before he opened his eyes and was met with green eyes staring back at him.

 

“Hey, Damian.”

 

“Grayson…”

 

Dick sat up and moved so Damian could sit next to him, but he didn’t. 

 

Odd.

 

What was even odder, was the fact that Damian wasn’t wearing his Robin costume. He was wearing a turtleneck and black pants, with a bag hanging from his shoulders. Dick could see the katana that he famously carries under his arm. He raised an eyebrow and Damian says nothing again but drops his bags and almost throws himself at Dick. Dick grunted but stays still, clearly feeling Damian shaking in his arms, he could hear the quiet sobs racking the small frame. 

 

Dick pressed a kiss on Damian’s forehead, “I’m sorry, Dami…”

 

“... _Why_ …?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Dick felt tired, emotionally and physically drained and tired. Jason didn’t deserve this, Damian didn’t deserve this family. And for him? Dick chuckled darkly to himself as he slowly soothed Damian till the young boy fell asleep.

 

He was past saving. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a Comment and Kudos

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a Comment and Kudos
> 
> Also any comments about how Bruce wouldn't do this to his children will be deleted. This isn't the first time Bruce was horrible to his kids and it wouldn't be the last


End file.
